The Last Guardian (Of Time and Space)
by Nightstar Phoenix
Summary: [One-shot] Holly receives an unpleasantly late visit from the Doctor after the longest battle of her life. Takes place near the end of "The Last Guardian." [[Spoilers!]]


A/N: I always wondered why the book was called _The Last Guardian_. This is based on a personal headcanon that the referred "Last Guardian" never showed. This one-shot will be angsty and sad ok be prepared.

Timeline: After the second-to-last chapter of The Last Guardian; Tenth Doctor, post-Rose (not really specific: between "The Runaway Bride" and "Smith an Jones," or between "The Last of the Time Lords" and "Partners in Crime," or maybe somewhere in between "Journey's End" and "The End of Time.")

Disclaimer: Artemis and co. were created by Eoin Colfer, and the Doctor and his TARDIS are owned by the BBC.

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The last thing Holly wanted to see that day was a blue box that was bigger on the inside.

A few months earlier, she would have been happy to see it, and the alien inside. A few hours, actually. But it was too late now. The Doctor was late, and that meant the death of her best friend.

She had been on the roof staring at the stars. They didn't need her in Haven City. Well, she was sure they did, but Foaly had told her to take the day off. She had saved the world already that week, he had pointed out, trying to lighten the mood. _But it hadn't been me. It was Artemis. It was all Artemis. And now he's gone. _

And that was when she heard it. The sound she had been waiting for all yesterday. But silence had fallen when she strained her ears to hear the sound of the TARDIS.

Now she stood beside the phone box, confused and frightened. She didn't know what to feel. Her best friend was dead. And the Guardian of Earth, the Last of the Time Lords, hadn't been there. The one time her world needed saving most he had not come.

"Why weren't you there?" She murmured. Then she was yelling it. "_Why weren't you there? Where were you? How could you let this happen? And don't you dare tell me it'a a fixed point, you-_" she choked on a sob, whispering, "How could you let him die?"

Her knees buckled under the weight of those words, finally spoken aloud. Captain Holly Short, who had been through so much, who had travelled dimensions and time and above and below the Earth, was brought to her knees. She curled up and pressed her knees to her forehead, rocking back and forth and willing this to all be a horrendous nightmare, willing that obnoxious annoying snobbish brilliant perfect Mud-boy to tell her to pull herself together for heaven's sake, willing him to be back by her side.

She didn't hear the doors open. All she knew was that suddenly the Doctor's arms were around her. She wept noisily into his blue suit, pounding his cheat with her tiny fist. "It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair,_ it's not fair_!"

After a long while, he said, "I know. I know it's not fair. I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry."

Ten minutes passed.

And hour.

Two hours.

And Holly cried, more than she had ever cried before and ever would again. And the Time Lord held her until she stopped.

Finally, she trembled once more, closed her eyes and sighed. Unconsciousness took her, sleep stealing her away from the pain for a few moments. The old Time Lord smiled sadly, wishing that when she awoke he could have made everything alright again. He knew nothing would ever be the same for her.

"But the story's not over yet, Holly Short."

He lifted himself to his feet, cradling the small elf in his arms. He stood still for a moment, considering his next move. There was no way he could for the TARDIS to fit in any room in Haven, so he would have to make her comfortable here until she was called back. He placed her gently back in the soft grass. He popped back into his TARDIS for a moment, emerging with a blanket patterned with stars and rockets. He silently tucked it around the Holly's sleeping form. Then he sat himself cross-legged beside her and watched her breathe peacefully.

"You've had a rough day," he observed._ Understatement of the century_, he thought to himself.

"I know it's hard to believe," he continued, even though she wasn't listening, "but this is not the end of the story. Of course, you know in your head that the Earth will still spin without Artemis Fowl walking upon it, and the clock will still tick by the seconds without Artemis Fowl to keep track of the time, and life must go on without Artemis Fowl experiencing it, but I don't mean that. I'm not going to tell you it's a fixed point- well, it is, but you didn't hear that from me." he smiled sadly. "And I'm not going to tell you to let go. Hold on with all you are, Holly Short." then he smiled for real, as he bent to brush her hair from her forehead and whisper, "Because Artemis Fowl was cleverer than you know."

When Holly awoke the Time Lord and his blue box were gone, leaving behind only the memory and a rocket-ship patterned blanket.

She woke because her com was buzzing, an inconsiderate pest that needed her attention. She allowed herself ten seconds to be fully awake before answering.

"What is it, Foaly?"

The centaur's voice sounded excited. "Get down here; I think I've just figured something out."

* * *

A/N: Reviews are always welcome! I never know how I do until someone else tells me. IM DYING OF CURIOSITY HERE GUYS HOW DID I DO?

Also, thanks to ChocolateTeapot for pointing out some grammar mistakes :D


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